Ken H.

I have had my1984 Audi 5000 for about a year now and have no idea how many miles it has on it. The odometer was broke when I bought it. It was owned by a doctor and apparantly garaged up to the last 2 years. The car looks like it has about 80,000 on it, but the odometer broke at 122K. I"m getting ready to put about $700 into repairs on this car (rack & pinion, A/C compressor and accumulator). Retail value is $1500 to 2000. What is the normal life span of the 5000?

Tom Serrago

but seriously, when you bought the car it was already a 15 year old car, but it looks good, bet it still feels/drives good too.
Very few other 15 year old cars look and feel as good as Audi's of the same age.
Mine is now 15 too! I want, and I will get (assuming no accidents) 5 more years out of it.
I am budgeting $1200.00 per year, which (in my case)is only 25% of a years worth of new car payments, my A4. As the original owner, I know all that was done on the car but more importantly, I have a very good feel of what will need to be done during these last 5 years.
So, what is the normal lifespan of a 5000? - as long as you want it to be.

The best of luck with your Audi,

Tom Serrago
85 5KS Avant 190K miles
99.5 A4 TQMS

DaveN

And Tom is completely right. It is much more about how much it would cost you to purchase equivalent transportation (knowing that those parts are good), rather than the percentage of the car's value that is going toward repair. These cars were treated very poorly in the market (60 minuntes and all that), and are much cheaper to buy than to maintain. But it is a great car for the money (that's why I got back into them). I think Click and Clack said it well when one of them observed that he puts more into his car than it's value every time he fills the tank.

AMS

Good Answer!!!

Tom Chudzinski

Tom: Up that 1200.00 by 1000.00 and you'll be closer to reality and less disappointed.
Got the paperwork (and the car) to prove it.

Tom Chudzinski

Tom Serrago

Most importantly, in my case anyway, the 5KS is no longer a daily driver, I probably will not put on more than 5-6K miles per year. What still needs doing I can do myself. Also, I am not including regular routine maintenance/usual wear items either as regardless of what type of car you own, the routine stuff has to be done.
I will be very suprised if I spend more than $1500 per year for these last 5 years.
How many years have you averaged $2200+ per year in repairs?

Tom Serrago

Mark

Ken,

I'm sure you got enough responses but my father bought a new Audi 1978 5000, the first year they were introduced and it lasted through him, my mother, myself and my brother. Both of us were in college. It died due to electrical issues in the power windows and other little stuff. It had 180,000 miles on it and was still running great. After a caddie he got another new Audi. A 1984 5000 turbo and put another 120,000 on that in a matter of two years and sold it for top dollar. Good luck.

Ken H.

Thanks for the responses. I guess I'll hang on the old 5000 for a while longer. I'm getting it fixed for about a fourth of what the dealer was going to charge me. Another thing that has been
helpful is being located in a big city where junk yards abound. Some parts, however, are better bought new i.e. the brake accumulator and rack and pinion.
Did Audi ever change that hydraulic system? My hydraulic system controls my power steering and brakes. A can of that fluid cost $13 and I was really going through it.
Anyone know where I can get an A/C compressor for a good price? Don't trust the junk yard on this one either. It is the Delco brand. I think EuroSelect had them for $195. I might just have the whole system changed over to the new freon when they fix it.
Well, the car is a pain sometimes, but $500 a month car payments don't sound appealing either.

Tom Chudzinski

Those numbers were taken from the year I bought it in 1994 to present. I'm not complaining about the price. I drive mine every day. (110,000 miles so far) Well, except for the last week. That included a $2500 trans/final drive/torque converter rebuild and reseal. If things keep going like they have so far this year, I may have to revise my annual estimate upward a little. The trans/final drives are the only thing I don't do myself. (No lift or trans jack available) I'm not including normal maintenance (oil, fluid, tires, tune up etc.)either, only repairs.

My last new car was $485.00 a month just to compare. No complaints. Couldn't do it though if you had to pay retail for parts and labor for everything.

Tom Chudzinski

Tom Serrago

(I didn't include 2 years warranty period or normal maintenance and wear items) came out to be a little under $1000.00 per year.
It could have been less but knowing I was going to keep the 5KS until the A4 was paid for (5 more years), I had the dealer install a complete factory tranny assy $3500.00 ouch! But I couldn't see fixing the original unit after 180K miles.
I hope the A4 will be as reasonable to repair over the long haul (at least it's a manual).

Currently the 5KS needs all injectors replaced as soon as possible, they're all leaking down bad now, making hot starts and hot idle miserable.

Tom Serrago